MINI-PODCAST "BOOK REVIEW" BELOWIt seems most of us are filled and overwhelmed with negative news about what is happening here in the US and around the world. A good many of us, I would guess, have put the shades down, blocking the news out. Because afterall, "what can we do?" What I've found particularly demoralizing goes way beyond any party affiliation. It has come down to logic and the battle between right and wrong; truth and integrity and the ongoing world of spin and lies.

It hasn't built my confidence, and I'm assuming yours either, to regularly see features on CNN, for example, which spell out the White House's "next two week agenda" with one goal in mind --- to change how you and I view the administration's agenda. It is so blantantly expressed as a PR campaign --- no mention of wanting to inform us, update us, seek our help, inspire us with the TRUTH and NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH. ...and when the PR campaigns actually unfold, it is even more insulting than you expected ----- as if somehow they think we all so stupid we can't see through the same ol' bunch of meaningless words we have already rejected the first and second time. No coming clean, no responsibility taken, no new facts, no specific actions. Just light weight empty words designed to convince us and perpetuate the shameful mess we have found ourselves in with a system badly broken and leaders unwilling to lead with conviction for truth and integrity.

WHAT's THE TRUTH; WHAT CAN YOU DO?I've always seen myself as a positive visionary --- kind of pioneering spirit, but I have admit that we've been hoodwinked, folks! We've been deceived. We've been dupped and the only way out is for each of us to GET INFORMED and GET INVOLVED in order to stop the undeclared war on the American people and our increasingly less than positive influence on the peoples of the world, our environment and our planet.

AS A FIRST STEP: Read this BOOKLet me explain why you don't want to miss this book...

I write as a compassionate human. War is not something I believe in. Based on the knowledge of the ages, there is no evidence that WAR in itself was a way to peace. Perhaps in some cases submission to a country bigger than you at a great cost.

What concerns me more is our conscience as a human family. HOW MUCH WAR AND AT WHAT HUMAN COST ARE WE WILLING TO SUPPORT? I listen to the top leaders as they claim boldly that we must stay to "finish the job." This is easy to say when they are safe in their castles with their children out of harm's way, but how careless they are with the lives of others, especially when it all comes down to greed for power and resources that we really want, yes? We want "freedom" to ring our way, without regard or respect for our brothers and sisters well-being.

Since when is it a good strategy to keep trying win, when the premise was built on mistruths and mistakes? In business, a leader with the pattern of mishaps, missteps and mistakes would own up to the poor judgment, cut your losses and get out. What we continue to see with the BUSH administration is this relentless broadcast PR campaign to convince us to align ourselves with a pigheaded foreign policy ---- to put our trust in WHAT? ...A regime that has lied, over stepped its power beyond the laws we have and who believes anyone not aligning is somehow sinister. When I hear the old rhetoric being thrown out once again, I keep thinking of familiar quote. "You can only see what is in your own heart." Or, "When you point the finger, there are three pointing back at you." It seems more often than not the blaming words describe what we are watching and witnessing at the hands of our own deeds.

Even on 9/11, as difficult as it is to remember the tragic day, I found it hard watching and reliving the pain of that day not to feel a since of human shame for the death, destruction, maiming we have caused that has far exceeded 9/11 by scores of people.

HOW MUCH ANGUISH ARE YOU WILLING TO SUPPORT?

This morning I was overwhelmed at the sight of an Associated Press photo of a young boy in anguish I can't even begin to take in. His face clearly tells us what this ill-conceived war has brought on one human tragedy at a time. When you look into this little boy's face that lost his mother, ask yourself ...